Making reliable connections between conduits, such as, optical fiber, electrical wiring and hydraulic lines in a contaminated environment, such as downhole in an earth formation borehole in the drilling and completion industries, for example, can be challenging. Contamination positioned between mating surfaces of the conduits after connections are made can negatively affect any signals that are transported between the connected conduits. Systems and methods to alleviate this concern are of interest to those practicing in the art.